New Ground
by Janie2
Summary: This story takes place after Destiny and it does not have anything to do with season 2 at all. It is my own version of how Roswell should have gone for season 2. Everyone is in thsi story
1. Default Chapter

Title: New Ground?  
Author: Janie  
Couple: Max and Liz, Michael and Maria actually everyone.  
Rating: PG at the beginning but will get to be pg13  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
I am reposting this story I have changed some of the parts a little to hopefully make it flow better. I will be changeing and adding to the other parts soon. It takes place the day after destiny. It is about everyone, and few new characters of my own. Any feed back would be great, I would love to know what you think. This story does not follow season two at all. Hope you like it.  
  
  
  
Max, Isabel, Michael, and Tess are left standing watching as Liz walks away from them. Tears are streaming down Liz's face. She is crying, so hard she can barely see in front of her. The words still echoing in her ears, "Tess is your young betrothed," hearing them in her mind, she is unwilling to accept them in her heart. Liz forces her self to keep walking, not allowing herself to look back just walk away... away from him...away from your heart she tells herself between sobs. Tess smiles to herself happy with the fact that Max did not go after her. They leave the cave and go back to Michael's apartment to wait for Nasedo. Nasedo walks into the apartment in the form of agent Pierce, he informs them that use of the communicator has set of a tracking signal that their enemies are now using to find the 4 of them.  
  
" How do you know that they are coming it has only been a few hours at best? " Max asked.  
  
Nasedo explained to them, "I can feel their evil presence, they are close. Also two of the FBI agents that where working with Pierce in the main office where found dead a few hours ago, and the files that the FBI had on you Max, and the others are all gone. With all the heightened activity that agent Pierce had going on they probably were watching this area any way to see what came of it. "   
  
"What are we going to do now, " Isabel asks a little frightened by the idea of some unknown enemy coming after them.  
"We are going to have to leave Roswell" Tess snapped defensively.   
  
Max interrupted her, "If they have the files on me then they will know about Liz an the others, about there involvement.   
  
"Actually …that could work to our advantage, the FBI was only sure of your identity Max, not the other 3. While this new threat is looking into your friends …we will have time to leave Roswell. We can use them as decoys…" Nasecdo told them.   
  
"We can't just leave them like that, we can't just run and not warn them of the potential danger out there. We have to stay here…we have to make sure there is no threat of danger to Liz, Maria, and Alex. " Max told him angrily.  
  
Nasedo looked at Max and tells him in no uncertain terms that, it doesn't matter what happens to these humans they are of no value to them or what they must do. He tells them that the 4 of them are not equipped to fight the enemy that they are about to face.   
  
Max looks at him as anger flashes in his eyes. "I don't care."  
  
"Max this new enemy comes from our home planet and is a lot more experienced at using their gifts then the four of you are. The things you have done with your powers over the last few years, that is nothing compared to what they will throw at you. They can be anyone at any time and they have no problem with killing who ever gets in their way. An you four are their main target."  
  
Max shakes his head still angry, "I am not leaving Roswell …Not without Liz. We will either stay here and fight or we will take Liz, Maria, and Alex with us. But we are not leaving them."   
  
Michael agreed with Max thinking of how much Maria means to him even if she is human." there is no way we are going to do that to our friends. No way!" he tells Nasedo   
  
Nasedo is angry and disgusted with their emotions and attachments to the humans.   
  
Tess trys to calm Max. She takes a hold of his arm. " Look I know that you care for them, " she sighs, " I do too! But Max we have to think about ourselves right now. " Tess tells him jealous over the concern Max has for Liz.  
  
Isabel glares at Tess annoyed at the way she is trying to play Max. "Seems like that is all you do, is think about your self." " I agree with Max and Michael we stay and face whatever it is out there together with our friends. Why are we their target, what do they want from us anyway?" Isabel asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
" It is because you stand in the way of them taking over our home planet." Nascedo points to Michael and Max, " Locked in your minds, somewhere hidden there is a code. You each have half of the code that would allow them access and power to the technology that we had created. Our planet lived in peace for many years. Like here on earth, we went about our lives much as they do here, only on a much more evolved level. Our race had developed the technologies to leave our planet and travel to other worlds even other galaxies it was a whole new era for us…we began inhabiting other planets around us. It was not long after you came into power Max as the ruler of our home, that your enemies began warring against you for control. They realized that the technology that we had created had much more capability then we were using it for. They realized that it could be used to take over and control new worlds, forcing its inhabits into slavery, allowing them to become more powerful."   
  
Michael was shocked by what he was hearing. " What does this technology do anyway? "   
  
Nasedo explains, " It is unlike anything you could possibly understand. When fired it has the capability to engulf and entire planet at once in a vapor cloud that will kill every living thing and yet leave undisturbed all structures, buildings, and surroundings within a matter of minutes. It does not leave behind any contamination. It is just as if the in habitants were never there. It was used to purify the planets that were near our own of any unknown contaminates or organisms that might cause disease to our own people. It was used, much like a way of cleaning a room of any germs, only on a much larger scale."   
  
" Michael and I have these codes in our heads? " Max asks hardly able to believe what he is hearing.   
  
Nasedo shakes his head yes. " Yes and that is why I am hear to make sure you do not get yourselves killed again   
That is why we must leave. "   
  
" I am not leaving, I can not make you stay but I am not leaving Liz. I don't care what they throw at us. They are our friends and have risked everything for us. " Max told them.  
  
Michael and Isabel agree with Max, leaving Tess to grudgingly go along with them. Nasedo tells them he will use the FBI surveillance teams to watch for unusual activity in an around Roswell. He also tells them to get the local sheriff to help them, and if they are going to fight this battle now then they had better start practicing with their powers. A plan is made to go to the crashdown the next day and let the others know what is going on. Nasedo looks at Max. " Max, I hope she is worth it because all of your lives are at stake here." With that he left. Max tells the others that they need to keep things as normal as possible. They need to behave just like any other teenagers, they don't want to draw any attention to themselves and end up giving up their identity.  
  
Liz is sitting on her balcony writing in her journal…  
  
  
Today my whole world came crashing to an end! Max did not come after me, I kept hoping...no praying even, that he would, but he did not. I knew he would not, could not follow me, but still I hoped. When I heard...when I saw...the vision of Max's mother standing before us. Revealing to us all that Max and the others had lived before, had a life waiting for them somewhere else …in that moment, I couldn't breath, I couldn't think. I knew I had to leave had to walk away before… Liz began to cry as silent tears fell to the page. She wiped her eyes and began writing again.   
  
Before he asked me to go.... Now here I am alone, how can I go on, how can life ever be normal again...and what will ever take away this intense pain. Liz put her journal away and closed her eyes. She did not really want sleep to come. She did not want to see his face, hear his voice or feel his touch against her skin. Oh if the dreams would only stop then maybe she could have peace at least in her sleep, she could find some way not to think of him… of the two of them and what they have shared.  
But when sleep does finally come she finds herself in a beautiful garden surrounded by flowers, she feels very peaceful and content. She hears a voice from behind her and she turns to see Max standing there calling her to come over to him. Liz stares at Max and asks, "Max is that you, is that really you?"   
  
Max answered her. " Yes Liz it's me …I wanted to come after you, to make sure you are alright." He holds out his hand to her. Liz approaches him cautiously   
  
Liz had hoped, that he would come to her, that he would tell her that it was all just a bad dream and that they would be together forever...Max pulls Liz closer to him   
  
" Liz I wanted to follow you to day, I wanted to dry your tears and take away all of the pain, but I couldn't think only of myself there is Isabel and Michael to think of too." Max tells her. Liz pulls away a little but Max is unwilling to let go of there embrace   
  
" I know… and Tess." she whispers to him as tears begin to roll gently down her cheeks. The thought of Max and Tess together feels her heart with pain. Seeing the pain on her face Max pulls her fully against him leaning down he kisses the top of her head.   
  
"Things are difficult Liz but what I said to you that night in the abandoned bus remember… I told you Liz you are my destiny no matter what, it is you that I love. " Max whispered breathlessly into her ear. Max knew in his heart that there could never be anyone else for him.   
  
" Oh Max if only there was a way for us but I can't ask you to give up who you are …or your chance to find your way home", Liz spoke the words softly between sniffles.   
  
Max was holding her against him so tightly that she could hear his heart beating, "Liz your not asking me to do this, it's my choice. I may be an alien but I am human too! Nothing is going to change how I feel for you Liz, nothing, not even my past with Tess. You and I, we belong together I knew it from the moment that I first saw you and I knew it when Pierce was torturing me." Max gently puts his hand under her chin and lifts her face up to his. Their eyes meet and a thousand words of love between them go unspoken. Max leans his head down to hers and they kiss. As Her lips part under the pressure of his kiss she feels every part of her body become alive. There in the garden of her dreams she holds on to Max not willing for this kiss to end… not willing for reality to come flooding in. Max pulls away slowly not wanting this moment to end either but knows that it must. He pulls himself free of Liz an turns to walk away as he does he glances over to her one last time. "Remember Liz it is you I love…I will see you tomorrow at the Crashdown there are a lot of things to discuss," Max tells her as he fades away.   
  
Liz wakes up realizing that it was just a dream and that she must face another day with out Max Evens in her life.   



	2. chapter 2

Part Two   
  
Liz and Maria were cleaning up from the breakfast crowd at the Crashdown when Kyle and Alex walked in.  
Alex took one look at them and knew they felt as miserable as he did.  
  
Kyle waved over to them, then headed over to the first booth. " Hey"   
  
"Hey ladies any news yet from our alien friends? " Alex asked them.  
  
  
Maria shook her head no. "I guess we don't rate a phone call, you know to let us know what the hell is happening."   
  
Maria and Liz both sat down with Kyle and Alex to take a break since the restaurant was now empty.   
" Well I am sure that they are fine they just need some time to put everything that has happened into perspective." Alex told them trying to sound convincing. He could see the pain in Liz eyes, he wished he could help her to feel better.  
  
" Yeah and Tess is gonna make sure they do that without us!" Maria snapped annoyed at the thought of Tess.  
  
"I'm still freaking out about all of this. I can't believe everything that has happened and it happened to me. The fact that the four of them are teenage aliens is beyond comprehension. I still don't know what to say to Max. I mean does this make me his slave or something?" Kyle asked.  
  
Liz smiled, "I know exactly how you feel."   
  
" I know you said that they had communicated with their home planet, does that mean they are now able to leave, to go back to where they came from? Where does that leave you and Max then?" Kyle asked Liz.   
  
Liz stood up trying to hold back the tears, " I don't know I just don't know." Is all she was able to get out before running out of the room crying.  
  
Maria hit Kyle in the arm. " Why do you have to be such an insensitive jerk all the time?"   
  
  
Just then Max, Isabel, Michael, Tess, and the sheriff walked into the crash down. There is an awkward silence, as the four of them walk into the room, no one really knows how to react to each other least of all Michael. 

Maria stared at Michael, hoping he would say something to her but instead he heads over to the booth and sits down with Alex and Kyle. Maria took in a deep breath, she was so hurt and angry, she turned and headed into the kitchen to get Liz. The others sat down at the table as the awkward silence continued. Alex saw Max staring at the door waiting for Liz to come out, he could see how worried Max was as he kept glances over at the door. "Liz is in the back I'll just go let her know that you are all here." Alex told them as he got up and headed into the kitchen.   
  
"Liz the aliens have just landed." Maria told her as she walked into the kitchen. Liz looked through the door and saw Max sitting with the others. Their eyes meant and her heart skipped a beat, she wanted more then anything to run out and wrap her arms around him but the sight of Tess stopped her. Max could see that she had been crying he smiled at her hoping to make her feel better. Liz faintly smiled back then turned back to Maria just as Alex came into the room.   
  
" Ladies its POW Wow time. They want us all out there." Alex told them both.  
  
" I can't go out there right now …I can't be with him and Tess." Liz looked at them both with tear stained eyes, she pleaded with Maria, "You close the crashdown for awhile, I will be upstairs. My parents are out of town for the next few days anyway so I will just tell them we had to close for awhile after lunch I'll come back down later an we can reopen for the dinner crowd ok?"   
  
"I really think you should come to Liz it seems important …I mean they brought Valenti with them." Alex tried to tell her.  
  
Liz looked at Alex pleading with him to understand and just leave things be. Maria hugged Liz and told her to go upstairs. As Liz heads up the back stairs Alex and Maria enter the room with everyone waiting for them.  
Max looks anxiously for Liz to appear but she never does.   


"Where is Liz?" Max asked Maria.  


" She is not going to be joining us." Maria explained as she walked over to the front door of the crashdown and turned over the closed sign, and locked it.   
  
"This is about her too, she should be here," Max told them as he got up and headed towards the kitchen. Michael put his hand on Max arm to retrain him.   
  
"Give her some space Max, she needs it right now." Michael told him. With every ounce of strength Max had he forced himself to sit back down and not go after her for the second time in two days.   
  
While Max and the others are telling the group what is going on Liz makes her way to her room. Angry with herself for not being able to keep her emotions under control. She takes out her journal and rereads her last entry that she wrote only hours ago. Her dream about Max and him telling her that he would see her today at the crashdown…how was it possible and yet here he is. Could it have been really him with her last night. Only Isabel can dream walk she thought to herself, "Right?"   
  
Back downstairs the sheriff tells explained that since they had no way of knowing who could be their enemy at this point, the best thing to do would be to wait for their enemies to come to them. "Just go on as usual, your all normal teenagers living in Roswell New Mexico, nothing more. Try to stay in groups as much as possible for the time being just to be careful."  
  
Alex looked down at his watch then back to the group, " Well I am out of here." He stopped and looked over at Isabel, "you know I could use a bodyguard to go along with me?"   
  
Isabel smiled at him playfully, " I think I can handle that job."   
  
The sheriff looked to the rest of the group and told them he had to get back to work. He saw Max looking past him towards the back room and suggested that Kyle take Tess home. Tess began to protest but the sheriff did not give her a chance. " Come on Tess you couldn't be in safer hands." Kyle smiled at her and motioned for her to lead the way. Tess got up and went with Kyle annoyed at being taken away from Max   
  
Maria looks directly at Michael, "so why are you still hanging around space boy?"   
  
" Well I do still work here don't I?" he asked a little puzzled at her anger.   
  
Maria threw her towel at him then walked over to reopen the crashdown. Max walked towards the back stairs up to Liz room. They both watched as he left the room.   
  
"So are you going to help me or not?" Maria snapped at him. Michael grabs Maria by the arm and pulled her in front of him. Their eyes meet and Maria quickly lowered her head.   
  
"What is up with you now? Why are you so angry? " Michael demanded.  
  
Maria was unable to look him in the eyes, she knew that if she did she would loose it completely. There was no way she was going to give him that kind of satisfaction. " Oh I don't know Michael why would I be angry. Lets see there are only about a thousand reasons, such as I bust my but for you, I go above an beyond for you and you just walk off and leave me"…her voice wavered for only a moment, " you didn't even look back. I mean way to let someone know you care." She tried to pull herself free from his embrace still not looking into his eyes.   
  
" I do care about you, but you know I had to go" Michael told her.  
  
" And just how exactly would I know you care…. Oh because of the thousand times you told me right? Or maybe it was the way you just left me yesterday, at least Max took Liz" Maria snapped at him. Maria finally looked into his eyes searching for something to hold on to. Something that would tell her that he does care about her.   
  
Michael felt annoyed by the tears welling up in Marias eyes. He let go of her and looked away, he had not told her how he felt not really. He was not even sure himself what he was feeling and now there was all this confusion with Isabel. He did not know how to answer her. He did know that he hated that she was upset with him and he hated the fact that he had hurt her. Maria stood motionless for what seemed like forever waiting to hear him say what he was feeling but the words never came. She brushed past him and said quietly, " Yeah that is what I thought you would say."  


Liz opened her bedroom door and was just about to go down and help Maria with the afternoon crowd when she ran right into Max. She stopped surprised to see him, she took a deep breath not knowing what to say or do.  
He looked at her…she had been crying her cheeks were swollen and red, but to him she still looked so beautiful. Dam…. Why did things have to be so difficult, Max thought to himself. Liz quickly turned her head away she felt the tears stinging her eyes again. Embarrassed she moved back from the door quickly and mumbled about being surprised to see him   
  
Max whispered softly, " Liz I am sorry but I really do need to talk to you please." He reached out to take her hand but she pulled away.   
  
" I just don't know what you need to say, I mean your future, your life, its not here with me its some where out there with Tess." Liz told him unwilling to look into his eyes. " I mean you were right, you kept saying it… that we couldn't be together and I didn't listen it was all a mistake." Tears begin rolling down her cheek as she quickly wiped them away.   
  
Max reached out to brush her cheek but Liz avoided his touch and walked past him out her bedroom door. Max grabbed for her hand this time catching it in his. He pulled her back to him and looked into her face the pain and sadness he saw there made him feel sick inside knowing that he is the one that caused it. "Oh Liz please don't say that don't say it was a mistake." Max pleaded with her.  
  
" What else can I say Max... even if your not with Tess you still can't stay with me, sooner or later you have to make your way back home. Your people, your mother, even Michael and Isabel are depending on you Max." Just then Maria began calling to her from down stairs about the dinner crowd filling in. Liz pulled herself free from Max embrace and headed toward the stairs, "I have to go help Maria."   
  
"Liz this is not done between us. " Max told her determined to make her listen.   
  
" Max ...more then anything I wish things could be different for us. But I can't let myself think that way any longer." She took in a deep breath and left. Max watched her go frustrated with the way things were between them. He did not want this responsibility, to be the leader of his people.   
  
Alex an Isabel arrived at his front door. "So here we are?"   
  
"umm" Isabel mumbled softly.  
  
" Look if you just want to tell me that it was all a mistake and that you belong with Michael now. I mean if that is what you need to say to me, I will listen but you will never be able to convince my heart that it is true or for the best," Alex told her in a rush of emotions.   
  
Isabel let out a deep sigh, " Oh Alex it is all so complicated, I am just really confused right now." She smiled at him an took his hand, " give me some time to understand an sort things through." She looked into his eyes for some sign that he understood what she was trying to say, "Please…"   
  
" Yeah I will be here for you when ever you need me," for the first time Alex realized how hard this was for her too.  
  
Later after closing the crashdown Michael and Maria were cleaning up in the kitchen while Liz cleaned up the front. She was not aware of the fact that a stranger was watching her from the shadows outside of the crashdown.   
Maria called out to Liz. " How's it coming Liz, do you need any help out there?"   
  
Liz told her no and went back to wiping down the tables.  
  
Michael began cleaning the grill while Maria put away some clean dishes. He bumped into her making Maria drop the dishes. She looked at him frustrated with him. She reached down to clean up the broken dishes and cut open her hand. "Dam" Maria cried as she dropped the broken glass and examined the cut up close.   
  
"You should be more careful watch what your doing" Michael told her.   
  
" Me, what about you, you're the one who made me drop them." Maria told him angrily. Maria tried to the cover the cut with a rag as it was bleeding badly and was pretty deep.   
  
Michael grabbed her hand to examine the wound annoyed with her, "this is a pretty bad cut it will need stitches."   
  
Maria pulled her hand away from him, but Michael is persistent, he grabs a hold of her hand and hold the rag over the wound. " Oh don't bother yourself I am fine." Maria snapped at him.  
  
Michael ignored the anger in her voice, "does it hurt," he asked her softly.   
  
Maria is taken aback by the concern in his voice, and shakes her head yes. Michael then takes his other hand and lays it gently down on hers. Their joined hands begin to glow as a soft white light surrounds them, Maria feels heat radiate out of Michael and the wound is gone. "Thanks" she whispers softly.  
  
Michael stares into her eyes, " All better?"   
  
Maria pulled his hand over to her chest and laid it across her heart " Can you make the pain here go away too?" she asked him her eyes filling with tears.   
  
Michael felt sad all of the sudden, sad that he had hurt her so much. As waves of emotions wash over him, hurt, rejection, and fear. He sees Maria watching him walk away from her time after time, feels the intense desire in her to run after him each time. Then he sees the last time that he walked away from her …the lost and brokenhearted look on her face. He feels terrible that he put it there. Michael pulled Maria into his embrace and they kiss. As the kiss deepens, she feels a connection with him. It is unlike anything she has ever felt in her life. She felt for the first time how deeply Michael loved her, how much she means to him. It was as if he was finally opening a part of himself to her. A part of himself that no one else knew not even Max and Isabel. He was sharing a part of himself, a part of his emotions his heart and allowing her to see inside him. She saw images of Michael as a child how alone he felt, how rejected. The fear, and unwillingness to trust anyone, to let anyone get close. She felt the void in his heart, the emptiness that was there, until he met her. When the kiss finally ended, she felt overwhelmed with emotion, intoxicated by his love for her. She did not let go of him partly because she did not want the moment to end and partly because she did not trust her own two legs to hold her up. She finally understood what Liz meant when she said Max made her feel weak in the knees.   
  
Michael looked deep into her eyes, "I may not have spoken the words to you Maria, but I have always felt them."   
Having said that, he turned, and walked away, leaving Maria staring after him completely speechless.   
  
Both Liz and Maria finished cleaning up the crashdown. Outside in the ally way a good looking young man stands in the shadows watching as the lights in the crashdown are turned off. An eerie quite settles in, a black van drives up and stops in front of the young man, he gets in the passenger side and drives away with his companions. There is an older looking man driving the car. He is in his early 40's. "Have you been able to identify our first two targets?" The older man asks.   
  
Jared smiles at his partner, "Yes, we will wait a few days and then make contact. With any luck this will all be over soon and the codes we need will finally be ours."   



	3. chapter 3

Both Liz and Maria finished cleaning up the crash down. Outside in the ally way a good looking young man stood in the shadows watching as the lights in the crashdown are were turned off. An eerie quite settles in, a black van drove up and stoped in front of the young man, he got in the passenger side and drove away with his companions. There is an older looking man driving the car. He is in his early 40's. "Have you been able to identify our first two targets?" The older man asks.   
  
Jared smiles at his partner, "Yes, we will wait a few days and then make contact. With any luck this will all be over soon and the codes we need will finally be ours."   


Liz spent the rest of the weekend working and trying not to think about Max. She was glad that her parents had not been home. Trying to explain the heartache of the last few days would have been unbearable. She would have to pull herself together now though, as they were due back late that night. They had called and said they had gotten the last of her Grandma's things out of storage and that they would be home late after midnight. Liz sank down into the covers of her bed and closed her eyes. It wasn't long before Max appeared before her. He handed her one long stem white rose and whispered "I love you." Liz smiled at him as she held the rose up to her nose, "Max I'm so glad you came to see me I wanted to see you, I know I shouldn't want to but you were all I could think of." Max kissed her softly. Liz felt safe in his arms, she moaned softly as he left a trail of tiny kisses down her neck. Liz pressed her body closer to Max. She loved him so much she had never felt like this before. Finally Max pulled himself away from her she was so beautiful. "I just wanted to make sure you were safe. I will see you tomorrow so we can talk, sleep well my love." He whispered as he vanished from her dreams.

"Are you going to go to school or are you planning on just skipping it?" Maria called out to her. Liz jumped startled by Marias voice.  
  
As tempted as she was by the idea of staying in bed she knew she had to force herself to get up and face the day. "I'm coming Maria, I'll be right down." she yelled out to Maria. Liz pulled herself out of bed and began to get ready for school. As she was brushing her hair she decided to make an entry in her journal while it was still fresh in her mind.   
  
"I had another dream about Max last night. It was so vivid, so real. I almost felt like he was actually here with me. He was so insistent that we talk things out. I want to be with him so badly, maybe this is just my desire to be with him, maybe it is causing me to believe my dreams are more real then they really are? "   
  
Liz finished writing in her journal and headed down to join Maria downstairs, they headed over to school.  
  
  
  
Liz, and Maria, walked up to Michael, Isabel, and Alex who were already standing in the hall talking. Isabel greeted them both with a smile. 

"So anything strange happen over the weekend, anyone notice anything out of the ordinary?" Michael asked them.  
  
Maria leaned in and whispered as if she had some important news to tell them all. "Well now that you mention it, something has happened that is really odd. Frankly I am not really sure what to make of it."   
  
Michael looked at her with genuine concern, "What happened?"   
  
Maria told them trying hard to hold back her laughter. "Well Michael Guerin has not only showed up for school, but he is on time too!"   
  
A sarcastic smile flashed across Michael's face, "Cute... Maria, very cute!"   
  
Everyone started laughing at Maria's little joke. The tension is eased some as the group chatted about their classes. As they were talking, Liz caught a glimpse of Max out of the corner of her eye walking down the hall with Tess. She was hanging on his arm as if she belonged there. Liz turned away just as Max pulled away from Tess. She looked to the others and mumbled something about having to get to class.   
  
Maria followed after Liz and so did Alex. Max watched them as they walked off, "Was that Liz who just left?"   
  
Isabel told him that she saw the two of them heading over and she left saying something about needing to get to class. "I guess she just felt like she had to leave."   
  
Tess once again was trying to wrap her arm around Max.'s. "Liz just needs some time to accept the way things have to be. She just needs to come to terms with the fact that this is our destiny."   
  
Max looked at her annoyed, without saying a word he led Tess by the arm to the eraser room. "See you guys later...I need to talk with Tess alone."   
  
Michael and Isabel realized that Max was angry and watched as the two of them walked down the hall and into the eraser room. Liz felt bad for taking off on them and decided to go back and speak with Max. As she turned the corner she saw Max pulling Tess into the eraser room with him. She stared blankly at the door as he shut it behind him not realizing that she was watching. Liz turned back around and headed to her class with tears in her eyes. She knew that the day would come when Max would turn to Tess she was just so hurt that it happened so soon.   
  
Once in the eraser room Max told Tess that her behavior had to stop.   
  
Tess asks him sweetly as she plays with the buttons on his shirt, "what behavior has to stop, what am I doing that is so wrong?"   
  
Max tried not to loose his temper all together he pushed her hands away from him. "This kind of behavior, this constant flirting and hanging on me. Look I don't want to hurt your feelings but I am not ever going to feel for you what I feel for Liz. You and I are not ever going to happen!"  
  
Tess looked at Max with a hurt expression on her face, "Because you do not want to admit it, that we are meant to be together, that I am the one you are suppose to be with. Oh Max if you would only remember how things were with us, what we shared together, then you would know I am the one you love not Liz."   
  
Max could see that Tess was hurting but he knew that he had to make her understand that there was not ever going to be a chance for the two of them. "Tess...I have had memories of the two of us together. Flashes of the two of us when I kissed you before."  
  
"Then how can you be telling me that there is no chance for us?" Tess asked softly.  
  
"Because I feel nothing when I have had those memories, the flashes, there is no feeling at all. There is no passion, no emotion, and no love. It's just as if I am watching someone else with you someone who is not me. I do not want to hurt you, but you have to accept that what ever we may have meant to each other before is gone. I am not that person, any longer. This is who I am, and the truth is you and I do not even really know each other. I would like to be your friend but that is where it ends." He told her honestly.  
  
"What about our destiny Max, our home, are you just going to walk away from that too?" Tess asked him as tears fell from her eyes.  
  
Max felt bad that she was hurting. He knew that he must make her understand where they stood. "I am going to do what ever it takes to help our people but that doesn't mean I have to be with you in order to do that. I know this is hurting you and for that I am sorry but it is the truth and it is, the way things are. I hope you can except what I am telling you." With that he turned and walked out of the eraser room. Tess stood in the doorway crying softly. Alex saw Max walk out of the eraser room and Tess standing there upset. The bell has already rung and everyone else was in class. Alex was not sure what he should do, he did not want to betray his friendship with Liz, but Tess was so upset. He walked over to her, "Hey what's wrong, are you ok?"   
  
Tess was unable to hold back the tears any longer, Alex pushed her back into the eraser room and held her head against his shoulder to comfort her. "I don't know what is going on, but what ever it is it can't be that bad can it?" he asked.   
  
Tess sniffled and told him the entire story about her and Max and their history together, she told him everything including what just happened between them. Alex lifted her chin up and gently wiped away her tears, "I know your hurting believe me I know how that feels. When Isabel wouldn't give me the time of day, I felt like someone kicked me in the teeth. "  
  
Tess smiled and told him softly, "thanks Alex for trying to make me feel better. It is just difficult to accept that the person you have spent you whole life waiting for does not want anything to do with you. I mean my whole life I have been told that Max is the one I am destined to be with and then when I finally find him he wants me to be his friend."  
  
"Yeah that is ruff, you really have had a head trip done on you." Alex told her trying to comfort her.  
  
Tess looked at him puzzled by his remark, "What do you mean, what head trip. It is our history, it is who we are."  
  
"I am not trying to make you feel worse it just seems to me, that it is who you were. I mean your half human, and alien but your you, your growing up all over again with different experiences different things happening to you, how could anyone expect you to be the person that you were before. I mean do you even know that person, what she likes, what she doesn't like? Just think about it, who is Tess really, not the person you have been told to be but who you are? I mean wouldn't you like to make you own choices for once, to make a decision because it was what you wanted not because it was what someone told you that you wanted?"  
  
"You just don't understand it is complicated." Tess told him as she pulled away from him.  
  
Alex shrugged his shoulders, "ok maybe I don't understand. I do know this though what good is fighting for your planets freedom if you, yourself are not free to choose who you are with and what you do with your life. I mean it sounds to me like you have spent your whole life living a kind of enslavement... enslavement to this whole destiny thing. Think about it Tess how do you even feel about Max? I mean do you love him because you have been told to your whole life or because you choose to love him?"  
  
Tess felt herself getting angry, "You are just saying these things to me because you are Liz's friend. You want her to be with Max."  
  
Alex told her calmly, "Yeah I am Liz's friend, but I would like to be your friend too. You keep us all shut out Tess it makes it kind of hard to be friends with you when you won't let any body get close. Alex looked at her intently for a moment, "Look I am sorry that you are having to go through this, heck I am sorry for all of us this whole situation is the worst. Just think about what I said ok?"  
  
Tess did not answer him instead she pushed past him and headed off to class. Alex left for his class feeling frustrated at the situation he and his best friends were finding themselves in.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Later that day during P.E. class Maria and Liz were talking, she told Maria what she saw happen between Tess and Max. Maria put her arm around Liz shoulder. "Don't go freaking out on me. Talk to Max, ask him about it, maybe you misunderstood the whole thing."  
  
"What if I am right I don't think I could face having Max tell me to my face that he wants to be with Tess now." Liz told her. Just as Maria was about to argue her point with Liz her name was called out over the intercom telling her to report to the principals office. Maria gave Liz a strange look and whispered, "I wonder what I did this time?" Liz just shruged her shoulders as Maria got up to leave. Maria closed her eyes and shook her head as she saw her mom sitting in the principal's office waiting for her. Oh great she grumbled to herself. "Hey mom what's up, why are you here."   
  
The principal explained to Maria that she is excused from her classes for the rest of the afternoon, that her mom is here to pick her up. The two of them leave the school together.   
  
Maria looked at her mom, "Ok mom what is going on here, are you ok?"  
  
Amy looked at her and smiled. "Something has happened we need to talk ok.  
  
The two of them get into her mom's car and Maria realized that her mom has been crying. "Mom what is it, what is going on here, you're really starting to scare me?"   
  
Amy begins crying again and tells her that her father has come back into town and that he wants to see her. "I was at work, things were pretty slow, then your dad walked in. I did not recognize him at first it has been so long but then I realized who it was. He wants to see you honey, he wants to try and make things right with you. He... he feels really bad. I told him that I had to talk with you first, to see what you wanted to do."  
  
Maria felt numb, this was the last thing she expected to have happen. After all the years of hoping her father would come back. Now he just waltzes back into her life like he left yesterday. Anger began to well up inside of her, "Who the hell does he think he is? He just shows up after all this time and I am suppose to go running into his arms like daddies little girl!" No way! He can just go to Hell!"  
  
Amy leaned over and hugged her. Maria started crying as the hurt and frustration that had been locked away for years poured forth. "I know this is allot to take in honey, but he wants to make amends and he wants you to forgive him. Maria just think about it this may be the chance you have been waiting for to have your father back in your life for good." Amy tried to reassure her.  
  
Maria wiped the tears from her eyes, "Mom I can not believe you are sitting here saying this to me, after what he has done. My God mom he abandoned us!"  
  
"Maria we were both young, and scared. Things happened, I am not making excuses for what he did but I am at least willing to hear what he has to say now. Just think about it ok honey, think about seeing him!" Amy tried to persuade her.   
  
Maria felt compliantly confused by what she was hearing, her head was spinning and she began to feel closed in. "Mom I need time ok, I need to think. I am going to go for a walk. I have to be at work in a little while and I think I would really just like some time alone.   
  
Amy reluctantly let Maria go by herself. Knowing that her daughter can be very stubborn and it is best to just leave her alone when she gets like that. "Ok Maria I talk with you more later when you get home."  
  
Maria got out of the car and began walking. She couldn't believe all the crap that has been going on in her life lately. Who did he think he was just popping back into her life like that? The more she thought about it the more angry she got. She wasn't paying any attention to where she was going and she did not notice the black van that had been following her since she got out of her mom's car.  


Jared looked at the young girl walking down the street in front of them. "So you made contact with the mother, did she believe you. Did she believe that you are Joey DeLuca?"   
  
The older man driving the van smiled at his partner, "She believed me completely. Of course it always helps to have a few old memories to go along with the face. It makes it that much more believable. Those files the FBI had on DeLuca's real father were very useful."  
  
"What if her real father shows up out of the blue, is that being handled?" Jared asks.  
  
"Of course Saber is sending someone to take care of him. There will be no mistakes allowed for this time!" Lore snaps at him.  
  
"Why don't we just grab her now, probe her mind get the information we need, kill her and be done with it?" Jared asked showing his impatience.  
  
"We can't do that, to many variables. We don't even know if she is one of the 4. If we arouse their suspicion by taking one now, the others will flee. We can not risk that happening. Remember we have no idea what they look like now. Their appearance is completely altered due to the genetic engineering done to them with the human DNA. We will follow our orders, Saber believes if we get in close enough then develop a bond and gain their trust we will have their identities soon enough" Lore explained to him.  
  
"What if she refuses to see her father, then what?" Jared persists.  
  
Lore looked over at him and smiled, "she will see him, her need to know why he left will make her see him. These humans have many weaknesses I have learned, one of them being their unending need to know Why. We will follow our orders and this will all be finished soon enough."  
  



	5. Chapter 5

The two men drove away

The two men drove away. Maria never noticed that she was being watched. She found herself in the park. "How ironic the same park I came to when my dad first left us." She walked over to the swing satdown and began to cry again. She was so deep in thought, she didn't hear Alex calling out to her from across the playground, and it was not until he was standing in front of her that she realized he was there.   
  
"Hey Maria are you alright I have been calling you?" Alex asked her concerned about her.  
  
Maria looked up wiping away the tears from her eyes. She took in a deep breath, stood up and walked past Alex. "Yeah...yeah I am ok. How did you know I was here?" She glanced down at her watch, "why aren't you in school any way?"  
  
Alex explained to her that when she did not show up for Astronomy class, he and Liz got worried about her, so he went to the principals office to see what was going on. The secretary told him that she had been excused for the day due to a family emergency. He called her mom and found out what was going on. "I remember when your dad left you came here, I just thought maybe you might be here again and that maybe you might need someone to talk too."   
  
"Thanks Alex, you are the best. It really means a lot to me that you would come all the way out here...even skipping school. It just really means allot!" Maria told him touched by his friendship and concern for her.  
  
Alex put his arm around her shoulder as the two walked back towards his car, "So do you want to tell dear old Alex all about it?"  
  
Maria smiled at him, "No…Not really there is not much to tell. My dad left us high and dry and now he thinks he can just walk back into Roswell and into our lives like nothing ever happened."   
  
"Are you going to see him tohear what he has to say. You know find out why he left?" Alex asked.  
  
Maria smiled a little. "I know why he left, he left because he is a monumental jerk that's why he left." Alex pulled her closer to him and gave her a big hug then he whispered in her ear "Yeah I know, but besides that reason."  
  
Maria sniffled, "Oh Alex I just don't know, my mom wants me to see him which is a total shock to me...but the truth is I just don't know what I want to do right now. I mean I always thought that I wanted to see him again, to ask him why we were not good enough, why he didn't love us enough to stay but now I just don't know if it is worth the pain you know?"  
  
Alex kissed her on the top of the head. "Hey lets do something fun for a change, lets just put this on a shelf for a little while and go get some pizza, catch a movie and make an afternoon of it what do you think?"  
  
Maria smiled playfully at Alex suggestion, "Alex Whitman...You mean you are going to cut the rest of your classes for little old me I am shocked and amazed."   
  
Alex rubbed the top of her head with his knuckles, "Yeah well don't let it go to your head DeLuca!"  
  
The two of them got into his car and headed to the Movie Theater . Liz realized that with both Alex and Maria gone from Astronomy class, she would have no choice but to sit with Max. A few days ago she would have jumped at the chance to be so close to him, but now she only dreaded it. She knew he wanted to talk with her to tell her that he had decided to pursue a relationship with Tess after all. Seeing him go into the eraser room with her had been hard enough to handle, hearing the words spoken by him would kill her, she thought to herself. Max walked in to see Liz deep in thought... she is so perfect, he loved everything about her, some how, some way he had to make her realize that they belonged together he thought to himself determinedly. Max took a seat next to Liz and softly whispered "Hello." She smiled at him and softly whispered hello back to him.   
  
Max leaned over and whispered, "I have missed you the last few days."   
  
Liz turns her head and to face Max. They are so close... only inches apart. Suddenly Max is very aware of her soft delicate lips and how desperately he wants to kiss her, " I know allot has happened...I really want to talk with you, I know we can work this all out." Liz started to protest, but Max reached up and placed his finger gently to her mouth. "Please Liz"   
  
A thousands emotions ran through her mind all at once as she felt her resolve melting, Liz whisperd, "alright we can talk, how about after school then? I will be working in the lab for a little while, meet me then?"  
  
The bell rang bringing both of them out of their little world; Mr. Thomas began the classroom discussion as Max mouths the words "Thank you" to Liz.   
  
It seemed as if the day just dragged on forever Liz thought to herself as she was waiting for Max to meet with her in the lab. She should have held her ground and just told him there was nothing to discuss that she knew all about him and Tess little trip to the eraser room and she was completely fine with it. At least that is what she kept telling herself. Once again Max Evans caught her off guard, she did not notice as he walked into the lab and walked up behind her. Liz jumped a little as she felt his breath in her ear and he whispered hello, "I did not mean to scare you I am sorry."  
  
Liz turned around, her whole body acutely aware of how close Max was standing to her, she took a step back and told him not to worry about it she was just thinking about some assignment for her math class and had not heard him come in.  
  
Max smiled at her, "It is so strange, I knew exactly what I wanted to say to you and now I find myself at al loss for words. Liz you mean so much to me, you always will nothing could ever change that. I just don't know how to make you understand that...  
  
"I totally understand, really and I just want you to know that I am fine with it. I am actually really happy for the two of you, as soon as I saw the two of you together I knew that this was the way things were suppose to be." Liz told him not letting him finish his sentence.  
  
" Happy for me about what, what is it that you think you saw Liz?" Max asked confused.  
  
Liz backed away from him even further the close proximity of the two of them beginning to unsettle her. " I saw you with Tess heading into the eraser room...and it is ok. I mean I am the one who told you to follow your destiny and that you belonged with her. I am really happy for you...you will finally have all the answers you have been looking for" Liz told him as she walked toward the classroom door.  
  
Max followed after her still trying to explain. "Liz, you don't understand let me explain what is going on."   
  
Liz was completely unnerved she could feel the tears beginning to well up not wanting him to see her cry she headed for the door to leave. "There's nothing to explain really, and don't worry we can still be friends ok. I really have to go now though so I will see you later." She told him.   
  
Max felt frustrated at her unwillingness to listen. He decided he wasn't going to let her run away again. He raised his hand out and focused in on the classroom door, suddenly the door swung shut and locked itself before Liz could make her escape.  
  
Max using his powers in such a public area startled Liz. Angrly she turned around to face him, "Max what are you doing? Open the door!"  
  
Max crossed the short distance between them and held her by the shoulders. "No I am not going to let you run away from me again. I am going to tell you what happened you are going to listen to me." Seeing the look of anger flash across her face he loosened his grip on her and softly pleaded with her. "Please Liz, just listen to what I have to say and then if you still want to leave I won't stop you." She nodded her head in agreement realizing she really has no choice but to listen as he had locked her in.   
  
Max explained what happened between him and Tess in the eraser room and that he had never felt for Tess what he feels for her. "Liz from the first moment I saw you, all those years ago I knew that you were the one, the one that I was meant to be with forever. You are so wonderful, so perfect... I have spent a thousand nights dreaming of you, wishing for a way to be with you to show you how precious you are to me. You can't even begin to know how deeply I love you, it's like I was not even really living until I met you. My whole life I have been waiting for that one moment ...that moment when you first kissed me and I knew that you felt it too! That we really were suppose to be together like two lost souls searching through time to find that one special someone that makes you complete. That's what you do for me Liz, you make me feel like I'm whole." Max pulled her closer to him, "so you see, ...I can't walk away from this. I can't walk away from you... not ever," he whispered softly his voice filled with emotion. He placed his hands on her face, gently wiping away a stray tear before it fell. "Please Liz tell me that we can work this all out even if there are a million obstacles in our path. I know that with you by my side we can overcome them." Max felt like he couldn't breath waiting for her to say something to give him some sign that everything would be ok.  
  
Liz smiled up at him and realized there were no words that she could say... no words that would express to him how she felt. The pure and complete love and devotion she felt for him, instead she wrapped her arms around his neck, placed her mouth over his and kissed him a deep and passionate kiss. The whole world seemed to melt away around them. Nothing else matter at that moment, Liz felt safe in Max.'s embrace, she felt weak from the passion of his kiss. Realizing how deeply he did love her, the two had connected once again in away that went beyond the physical... beyond any human understanding. Liz felt the warmth of his embrace wash over her and all the pain, sorrow and heart ache of the past week seemed to just disappear. Max felt it too; in Liz he had found a love that was unselfish, completely accepting, and unending. He was amazed that someone could ever feel this way about him and yet she did. It was something only the two of them shared. No one would ever know or be able to understand the intensity that they shared...the connection that they felt for one another.   
  
Their embrace was interrupted by persist and irritated Isabel knocking and rattling the door to the lab, "Max, this isn't funny Alex is gone already and I need a ride home."   
  
Max held up his hand and unlocked the door to the lab so Isabel could come in. "Isabel the door is open you can stop knocking on it and come in," Max called out to her.   
  
With that Isabel tried the door again and made her way into the classroom mumbling about the janitor needing to do a better job of making sure things around the schoolwork. "I need a ride home, Alex left me a note in his locker, something about having to go be with Maria." Isabel informed them.  
  
Max was still holding Liz neither one wanting to let go of the other. "Oh yeah, Alex was going to see what was going on with Maria she got called out of P.E. this morning and never came back. I totally forgot." Liz told them her mind having been preoccupied all day with Max.   
  
"I can give you a ride home and we can check up on Maria and Alex. She is working tonight right?" Max asked.   
  
"Yeah we both are." Liz remembered looking down at her watch realizing how late it is. The three of them head for the crashdown cafe.


End file.
